Apparatus for handling strands



Nov. 19, 1940. B. K. FORD 2,222,286

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING STRANDS Filed May 3, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR E. K. FOfiD AFTOR/VEV Nov. 19, 1940.

B. K. FORD APPARATUS FOR HANDLING STRANDS Filed May 3, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mun/row B. if. FOfiD 88 a R mm Qa-w A TTORNEV Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS roa HANDLING STRANDS Application May 3, 1938, Serial No. 205,683

This invention relates to apparatus for handling strands and more particularly to apparatus for knitting a cover or sheath of textile strands on an electrical conductor strand.

In the manufacture of certain types of insulated electrical conductors, e. g. the conductor cords used in connection with telephone instruments, switchboards and the like, it is highly desirable to have thecords as flexible and durable under repeated flexure and torsion as possible.

An object of the present invention is to provide an efficient, practical and expeditious fluid actuated knitting apparatus.

One embodiment of the invention contemplates a knitting machine having a hollow rotatable carrier supporting a plurality of needles or thread engaging elements in a predetermined spaced relation about a core passing therethrough, stationary strand supply and guide means to feed strands to be knitted about .the core to the needles. and fluid actuated means to actuate the needles in predetermined sequence.

Other objects and advantages will beapparent from the following detailed description taken in 25 coniunction with the accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentaryelevational view of a portion of a knitting machine illustrating the invention, portions thereof being shown in sec- 30 tion:

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, portions thereof being broken away;

r Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the fluid controlling means; and r Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of another form of the invention.

The embodiment herein disclosed comprises a circular knitting machine of generally conven- 40 tional construction of which only sufflcient is shown in the drawings to enable a clear understanding of the novelty embodying the invention. There is shown a stationary base l apertured to rotatably receive a hollowshaft l I, the shaft having fixed to its lower end a bevelled gear l2 intermeshing a bevelled gear 3.01 a power shaft i4 driven by any suitable power means (not shown). Within the hollow shaft H is disposed a rotatable carrier l1 which in the 50 present embodiment of the invention may be termed a needle carrier, as it has suitable longitudinally extending slots It equally spaced about its periphery to receive and guide thread engag-- ing' elements or needles 263. The present form of the invention was dmisned to knit a textile cover upon a relatively small core, which necessitates positioning the thread engaging ends of the needles in close relationship to the axis of-the carrier through which the strand core, indicated at 22, passes during the knitting operation. The needles 20 are of the conventional type having a hooked head or tip 23 at the top with a pivoted latch 24 and having a laterally projecting portionor lug 25 formed in its lower portion. In order to position the heads of the needles more closely to the center or axis of the carrier I l the needles are bent as illustrated in Fig. 1 and the grooves or slots l8 arecut more deeply at the upper portion of the carrier to allow free reciprocatory movement of the needles in their respective slots. The carrier l'l has'an annular flange 25 receivable in an offset portion in the upper end of the hollow shaft II, where it is securely held against movement relative to the shaft by a cap 21 removably secured to the shaft through a threaded connection.

' Removably secured to the projection of each needle is a piston cylindrical in general ,con tour and slidably disposed in a cylinder 31 of a fluid controlling unit 32. The carrier I1 and the 25 unit 32 may be considered as one element, as they are fixed to each other as described hereinafter. The number of needles may vary depending upon the size of the core to be covered and upon the type of knitted sheath to be ap- 0 plied to the core but in the present embodiment there are shown nine needles. Therefore, in this embodimentnine cylinders M are disposed in circular formation as illustrated in Fig. 2, with their circumferences adjacent to a central aperture 33 for receiving the carrier ll. The lower portion of'the fluid controlling unit 32 is cut away to receive a split ring 34 which when forced inwardly by the aid of a set screw 35 rigidly secures the unit to the carrier. This also provides '40 means for adjusting the relative positions of the needle actuating means and the carrier.

The outer periphery of the unit 32 is circular in contour and upon this portion of the unit is concentrically disposed'a fluid controlling memher 38 resting upon an annular flange M .of the unit and held against vertical displacement by a cover ring 39, the latter being fixed by means of screws or the like (not shown) to the uniteso as to rotate therewith during rotation of the car-- rier. A stationary annular sleeve member 40 is fixed to the fluid controlling member 38 by any suitable means (not shown) and has projections 62, only one of which is shown in the drawings,

positioned to straddle a stationary pin it mounted upon the base I to hold the members 38 and 40 against rotation.

The fluid controlling member 38 has an annular groove 45 out quite deeply in its outer surface 5 and cooperating with the inner Wall of the member 40 to form a fluid passageway communicating with a fluid line 46. Any desired number of intake ports and exhaust ports may be formed in the member 38, in the present instance there being eight exhaust ports and eight intake ports,

member 38 and an exhaust port 49 in the lower portion thereof. The intake port 48 includes the vertical passageway communicating with the passageway 45 and the exhaust port includes the vertical passageway open to the atmosphere.

By viewing Figs. 2 and 3 it will be observed that the intake ports 48 areequally spaced about the member 38, and in alignment with each "upper intake port and each glower intake port is respectively positioned a lower and upper exhaust port 49. Relatively long grooves 53 are formed in the inner surface of the member 38 and extend predetermined distances upon each side of the intake ports, whereas similar grooves 54 are provided for the exhaust ports, but these grooves are shorter in length than groove 53 to provide'controlling means for the pistons, as will hereinafter be described. Fluid passageways 56 and 51 communicating with the upper and lower 40 ends, respectively, of the cylinder 3| are positioned to be moved into registration with the upper and lower intake and exhaust ports, re-

spectively. It will be observed by viewing Fig. 1

that the passageway 56 includes a horizontal and vertical connecting aperture in the unit 32 associated with a groove in the cover ring 39.

By viewing Fig. 2 it will be observed that of the eight sets of intake and exhaust ports in the fluid controlling member 38 four of the sets provide four positions where each piston and needle carried thereby will be moved upwardly and the other four sets afiord 'four intermediate positions for moving each piston and its needle downwardly. However, there are nine pistons equally disposed in circular arrangement with radially projecting passageways, thus resulting in the actuation of the pistons singly so that a uniform pressure may be applied to each piston and so that the needles will be brought into engagement 0 with only one strand at a time.

In view of the fact that there are four active positions to mIove the needles upwardly in this embodiment of the invention, four strands of suitable material such as textile are supplied from any desired source (not shown) and directed around sheaves 6| rotatably mounted upon single or separate pins of a bracket 62 supported by a rod 63 extending upwardly from a base I0. The rod 63 with a similar rod (not shown) supports a horizontally extending cross member 64, the center portion of which is apertured to rigidly hold a guide sleeve 65 through which the core 22 passes. Adjustably mounted upon the sleeve 65 beneath the bar 64 is fixed 5 a bracket 68 grooved to receive strand guides 69 their lower ends for the passage of the strands 60 therethrough. The strand guides 69 are positioned so as to enable the needles to engage the strands duringthe actuation of the needles.

In operating the apparatus the driving means is set in motion to rotate the shaft through the gears I2 and I3 to rotate the carrier I1 at a predetermined speed. A suitable fluid, such as air under pressure, is supplied to the passageway 45, thus supplying the fluid under pressure constantly to the intake ports 48. As the carrier is rotated the unit 32 is likewise rotated, moving the passageways 56 and 51 into communication with the intake and exhaust ports in a predetermined sequence. For the purpose of illustration let it be assumed that the unit 32 and the member 38 are in the relative positions shown in Fig. 2. The sets of intake and exhaust ports may be referred to'as operating positions |0|, I02, I03, I04, I05, I06, I01 and I08. At position IOI the passageway 56 of the cylinder 3| at the held in place by set screws 10'and apertured at extreme right is in communication with the inj take port and the passageway 51 of this cylin- I der is in communication with the exhaust port 49, directly beneath the intake port shown. As a matter of fact, the passageway 56 referred to is at approximately the center of its movement in communication with the adjacent intake port, the

latter also including its groove 53. With the parts, i. e. the unit 32 and the member 38, so

positioned air under pressure is forced through the intake port,'the passageway 56, to the adjacent cylinder 3|, forcing the piston therein downwardly together with its needle 20, during which movement the needle engages the strand adjacent thereto. During the downward movement of the piston the air therebeneath is forced from the cylinder through the passageway 51, and the exhaust port 49 communicating therewith.

The grooves 53 and 54 for the intake and exhaust ports, respectively, lengths eifect relative slow starting and stopping of the pistons to avoid jerking and thus breaking the strands. The intake ports are open to supply air to the pistons before the exhaust ports are open, thus moving the pistons relatively being of different slowly at the beginning of their strokes until the heads of the needles engage the strands, the pistons compressing the air at the opposite sides thereof, and when the pressures on both sides of the pistons are substantially balanced the exhaust ports are opened to allow continuation of the piston movement. Furthermore, cushioning means for the pistons are formed near the ends of their strokes, as there are direct outlets for the air at the exhaust ends of I the pistons until the pistons approach the ends of their stroke, at which times the exhaust passageways are closed, preventing complete exhausting of the air and allowing the remaining quantities of air to serve as cushions for the pistons.

When the rotating elements have advanced counter-clockwise to move cylinder 3| from position I0 I, where the piston therein is moved downwardly, to position I02 the same piston will at this position be moved upwardly due to its cylinring 39.

piston is approaching position I03, and so on, as

illustrated in Fig. 2.

By operating the thread engaging elements or v needles by fluid under pressure the apparatus may be operated at an exceedingly rapid speed. The clearance between the various elements where there is relative movement, for example, the carrier l1 and needles, the pistons and the fluid controlling unit 32, and the unit and the fluid controlling member 38, is such that a small quantity of the air under pressure will seep between these parts, resulting in a means to float the moving parts and providing a film of air which serves as a lubricant, obviating the necessity of other lubricants between these parts. Furthermore, although it has been possible to operate the moving parts at a more rapid rate of speed than is ordinarily possible with other types of machines, the parts are kept cool due to the cooling effect of the air under pressure combined with the lubricating effect of the same fluid. Therefore, this combined result, i. e.,'the cooling and lubricating effect of the cooling fluid, prevents seizing of the parts.

The apparatus may be readily conditioned to be operated by a vacuum merely by adjusting the bracket 68 to properly position the strands being fed to the needles. When the apparatus is operated by a vacuum it is still controlled .or actuated by a fluid which in this instance is the atmosphere. However, the pistons will be operated in just the reverse order as that previously described, for example, they will be moved toward the intake ports instead of being forced away therefrom when the control means at the intake ports is a vacuum instead of a fluid under pressure. However, the result accomplished will be the same in that. the pistons will be operated in the same sequence. Furthermore, the grooves 53 and 54 at the ports will cause a relatively slow starting and stopping of the pistons caused by controlling the air back of the pistons. If desired suitable sealing rings may be employed if the apparatus is operated by vacuum.

It may also be desirable to move the needles through the aid of their pistons in one direction by fluid actuating means and to move the same in an opposite direction by mechanical means such as a. spring H (Fig. 4) For example, the springs I may be positioned above and in alignment with each piston so that each piston will engage its respective spring upon an upward movement brought about by fluid actuating means and the spring, aided by gravity, could return the piston to its lower position. In this form the upper end of each cylinder is open to the atmosphere through a groove Ill in the cover Other than the removal of the upper ports and the addition of the springs H0 and the grooves III, the various parts shown in this flgme and bearing the same reference numerals as those appearing in the other figures are the same.

It is to be understood that the apparatus is operable in any position, as, for example, either vertically or horizontally or at an angle if so desired. 'The apparatus may also be operated in a reverse direction and may be conditioned for such operation merely by adjusting a strand feeding means. Furthermore, the ports 56 and 51 in e the unit 32 each function alternately as intake and exhaust ports during their rotary travel.

The embodiments of the invention herein disclosed are illustrative only and can be modified and departed from in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as pointed out in and limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a knitting apparatus, a plurality of movable strand engaging elements, a movable carrier therefor, and fluid operated means controlled through the movement of the carrier to move the elements.

2. In a knitting apparatus, a plurality of movable strand engaging elements, a carrier therefor, and a fluid control member, the member and carrier rotatable one relative to the other to. control a fluid to cause actuation of the elements.

3. In a knitting apparatus, movable strand engaging elements, a carrier therefor, a fluid supply member, the member and the carrier rotatable one relative to the other, pistons operatively associated with the elements, cylinders for the pistons, and means rendered. effective during the relative movement of the carrier and member to supply a fluid to the pistons to actuate the elements in predetermined sequence.

4. In a knitting apparatus, reciprocable strand engaging elements, a rotatable carrier therefor, means to supply a plurality of strands to the elements, means to supply strands to the elements, and fluid controlled means to actuate the elements to take the strands singly and in predetermined sequence.

5. In a knitting apparatus, movable strand engaging elements, a carrier therefor having fluid receiving cylinders therein, means to supply strands to the elements, pistons for the elements disposed in the cylinders, a fluid control mem her, the member and carrier being rotatable one relative to the other, and means cooperating to direct a fluid to the cylinders to cause movement of the pistons and their elements in one direction at one position and in a reverse direction at another position during the relative rotation of the member and carrier.

6.' In a knitting apparatus, movable strand engaging elements, a carrier therefor having fluid receiving cylinders therein, means to supply the strands to the elements, pistons for the elements disposed in the cylinders, a fluid control member, the member and carrier being rotatable one relative to the other, and means cooperating to direct a fluid to the cylinders to cause movement of the pistons and their elements in one direction at certain positions and in a reverse direction at other positions during therelative rotation of the member and carrier.

'7. In a knitting apparatus, strand engaging elements, a pistonfor each element, and a pair of relatively rotatable members, one having cylinders for the pistons and the other having fluid passageways to supply a fluid to the pistons in predetermined sequence during the relative rotation of the members to'actuate the element.

' 8. In an apparatus for tubular knitting, a plurality of reciprocable strand engaging elements, a rotatable carrier therefor, stationary means to supply a plurality of strands to the elements, a piston for each element, a unit rotatable with the carrier and element and. having cylinders for the pistons and fluid ports for the cylinders, and

means registerable with the ports in predetermined sequence during the rotation of the unit to supply fluid to the pistons to actuate the elements.

9. In a knitting apparatus, strand engaging elements, a piston for each element, a unit having cylinders for each piston and ports communicating with the top and bottom of each cylinder, and fluid supply member having fluid paspiston connected to each element and movably disposed in the cylinder adjacent thereto, a fluid controlling member conditioned to supply a fluid to the cylinders to cause reciprocatory movements of the pistons and elements during relative movement of the carrier and member, and means to cause relative movement of the carrier and member.

- 11. In a knitting apparatus, a plurality of strand engaging elements, a carrier therefor having adjacently positioned cylinders therein with fluid passageways communicating with each end thereof, a piston connected to each element and movably disposed in the cylinder adjacent thereto, a fluid controlling member having fluid actuating positions including sets of fluid supply .and exhaust ports positioned to communicate with the passageways to cause reciprocatory movements'of the pistons and elements at the actuating positions during relative movement of the carrier and member, and means to cause relative movement of the carrier and member.

12. In a knitting apparatus, a plurality of strand engaging elements, a carrier therefor having adjacently positioned cylinders therein, a piston connected to each element and movably disposed in the cylinder adjacent thereto, a fluid controlling member conditioned to supply a fluid to the cylinders to cause reciprocatory movements of the pistons and elements during relative movement of the carrier and member and to retard the pistons at the ends of their movements, and means to causerelative movement of the carrier and member.

13. In a knitting apparatus, a plurality of strand engaging'elements, a carrier therefor having adjacently positioned cylinders therein, 9.

piston connected to each element and movably disposed in the cylinder adjacent thereto, a fluid controlling member conditioned to supply a fluid to the cylinders to cause reciprocatory "movements of the pistons and elements during relative movement of the carrier and member and to retard the pistons at the beginning of their movements, and means to cause relative movement of the carrier and member.

14. In a knitting apparatus, a movable strand engaging element, a rotatable carrier therefor, and fluid operated means controlled by the rotation of the carrier to move the element.

15. In a knitting apparatus, a movable strand engaging element, a rotatable carrier therefor, and fluid operated means controlled by the rotation of the carrier to move the element at predetermined positions during rotation of the carner.

16. In a knitting apparatus, a movable strand engaging element, a piston therefor movable in a cylinder to move the element, and a fluid controlling means including inlet and exhaust passageways and conditioned to cause communication of the passageways with thecylinder at different intervals to cause retarded movement of the piston.

17. In a knitting apparatus, a movable strand engaging element, a piston therefor movable in a cylinder to move the element, and a fluid controlling means including inlet and exhaust passageways and conditioned to cause the exhaust passageway to communicate with the cylinder subsequent to the communication of the inlet passageway therewith to retard movement of the piston at the beginning of its stroke,

18. In a knitting apparatus, a movable strand engaging element, a piston therefor movable in a cylinder to move the element, and a fluid 'controlling means including inlet and exhaust passageways and conditioned to cause the exhaust passageway to discontinue communication with the cylinder during communication of the inlet passageway with the cylinder to retard movement of the piston at the end of its stroke.

19. In a knitting apparatus, a movable strand engaging element, a piston therefor movable in a cylinder to move the element, and a fluid controlling means including inlet and exhaust passageways and conditioned to cause communication of the passageways with the cylinder at different intervals to cause retarded movement of the piston at the beginning and end of each stroke.

BEN K. FORD. 

